Song of Captivity
by Kitty-163
Summary: Crossover with Doctor Who. Malcolm Reynolds takes on a job to transport an 'alien' across the 'verse to Persephone. But he got more then he bargained for when River releases the 'alien'.
1. Chapter 1

Serenity's engines rumbled softly as she landed on the barren waste land below

Serenity's engines rumbled softly as she landed on the barren waste land below. The planet was nearly all desert, with few trees and large populations surrounding every water hole available. Captain Malcolm Reynolds stood in the docking bay with Jayne and Zoë as the ramp was slowly lowered and they stepped out into the blazing light of midday. Zoë tightened her grip on the shotgun as she realized that nobody was there to great them like the message said there would be.

"I don't like this one bit sir," She exclaimed as Jayne took a defensive position and started scouting the immediate area for possible threats. "Even the job is a little shiftier then we're used to."

"I know Zoë but it's the only work we got. So if Badger wants us to cart an 'alien' across the 'verse to Persephone then that's just what we will do, for a price," Mal replied swiftly. Even he would admit that this job was a might shady. The pickup was unusual this far out in the 'verse and the cargo was just plain weird. An 'alien' for cargo was a first.

"Do you believe that they have a real live alien in cryo-stasis, sir?"

"Nope, not one bit," Mal answered with certainty as he looked for his clients. Dust was kicking up in the horizon, several vehicles were the cause. The jeeps were headed straight for Serenity. "Looks like their here," He announced loud enough for Jayne to hear.

The mercenary went back inside the Firefly to retrieve the Mule. Nobody was getting on Captain Reynolds ship again, not after the whole Adelei Niska incident. Jayne drove the mule down the ramp slowly and parked it next to his boss. Malcolm ran the position of his crew through his head once more incase of a problem. Kaylee was in the engine room, Wash was in the cockpit with Sheppard Book, and River was with her brother Simon in the infirmary. Everybody was set and in place in case this deal was shot to hell.

Mal took a calming breath as the jeeps parked 15 feet in front of them and a rather fat man stepped out of the passenger seat. "Mr. Stoker, I presume," Mal's voice was even and calm as he stepped forward to shake hands.

"Captain Reynolds," Mr. Stoker shook his hand vigorously and painted a large grin on his face that he believed was charming, but Mal just found it creepy. "Sorry for the hold up, we had a problem with the cargo," gesturing to the large cryo chamber that was being unloaded from the back and being placed on the Mule. "He didn't want to go to sleep so we had to give him twice the gas then normal."

Malcolm tried to keep his face from contorting in disbelief. "I'm sure you did."

Mr. Stoker just gave him an understanding smile in return. "The 'aliens' affects are in the small brown crate. They are both to be transported to Persephone as quickly as possible. Here you go," He handed Mal a duffel bag full of credits, "half now, half after the drop off," Mal grabbed the bag but Stoker did not let go. Mal looked up at the man who was jolly just a second ago; his face was drawn straight in seriousness. "Do not open the cryo chamber, what ever you do, don't open it. That 'alien', that man, whatever you want to call him, is not human. He is very dangerous." Stoker graced Mal with one more look before he released the money.

Mal nodded his head once, before he turned and followed Zoë and the Mule up the ramp. He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they broke atmo.


	2. Chapter 2

Malcolm turned around slowly and made his way over to the Mule to help Jayne and Zoë unload the cargo. The first thing he noticed was that everybody had migrated into the docking bay, even Inara. River was perched on the railing above looking at the cryo unit curiously, Simon and Kaylee stood next to her. Book came down to help while Inara stood off to the side watching.

"So this is the 'alien' that had Badger so worked up," Jayne commented dryly as he muscled the unit into place. Unlike the cryo unit River was in when they met, this one was a standing one. It had to be extremely uncomfortable for who, whatever was inside, if there was anything in it.

Mal looked up to the reader as Zoë latched the last chain in place so it wouldn't shift in flight. "Got anything little albatross?"

River tore her gaze away from the newly acquired cargo. "He's singing," Everyone stopped to look at the young woman in silence. "Oh Simon," she turned to her brother, her face contorting in grief as tears started to pour down her face. "He's singing such a sad, sad song."

Simon embraced her sister, whispering comforting words in Chinese to her. His gaze locked onto the Captain's and Mal just shook his head in confusion. "Let's clear out and get some dinner, this cargo is making me a might uncomfortable."

Dinner was a quiet affair that night. River still wept, albeit silently, in her seat in between Kaylee and Inara. Mal chewed his processed food slowly in deep thought. Zoë watched her captain carefully, trying to piece his thoughts together. Book sat at the other end, praying silently. Jayne seemed to be the only one not affected as he gulped down food faster then what was normal.

"You don't suppose," Wash started, breaking the tension that seemed to have been building up throughout the meal, "that maybe, that thing, isn't an 'alien' but might be human?"

Every eye trained on the pilot and he shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. Slave trading was a practice looked down upon and Malcolm would be damned before he would start shipping humans around the 'verse to be slaves. His mother raised him better then that, she would skin his hide if she ever caught her son doing something so foolish. Eventually all eyes shifted to look at River. Simon turned to his sister, "What about it mei-mei?"

She shook her head slowly, dark hair cascading around her like a halo, her eyes trained on the table, "His mind, it's so old, so full of pain and suffering. Worlds forming, destroying, dying, burning. Oh god, so many burning and screaming. So many faces, only one person, all dead, but he remains. The Oncoming Storm, the Destroyer of Worlds, the Lonely God. He's all alone, and he weeps as he destroys and builds. Blood covers his hands, but it never touches him. Only the stars can speak his name, but they don't dare for fear of his wrath. Terror and chaos are his footprints and the Bad Wolf follows close behind, always protecting him but never there. Lost to time and space, but he searches for her, his wolf. And his song, it's so full of sorrow, pain, and suffering, there's no joy, and I can't hear anything else," Her head snapped up and she looked at Simon so suddenly that she startled everyone. "Simon," revelation dawned on her as she smiled through her tears, "Simon, I can't hear anything else, oh god. It's silent."

Simon looked at her in confusion for a moment, but River's happiness seemed to make sense suddenly. She meant that she couldn't hear the others thoughts, only hers and that 'alien' music. He smiled at her and turned to relay the news to Mal. "I'm happy for you little albatross," Mal spoke up after he took a drink of his poor imitation of coffee. "But what I want to know is, is he dangerous, whatever he is."

River seemed to think about her answer carefully. She then nodded her head once, "Yes, very."

"Well, shit Mal," Jayne spoke up with food still full in his mouth. "I mean, I kind of got dangerous from Destroyer of Worlds, terror, and chaos, within all of that rambling in that little girl's head."

"Shut it Jayne." Mal snapped at him. Book looked up momentarily at the outburst, and then he continued his prayer.

Zoë slowly set down her fork. "What are we gonna do, sir?"

"We are gonna do the job," Mal replied quickly. His eyes caught the Sheppard's for a moment and a silent message was passed between them. Though Mal would never admit it, he prayed for a silent three weeks of travel back to Persephone.

Five days had passed by uneventfully. The only oddity was that River was constantly seen staring at the cryo chamber, humming an unknown tune, sometimes crying. She was quiet, calm even. Mal hoped it was Simon's new medication, but they all knew different. Whatever was inside that chamber was having an affect on their littlest crew member, whether it be good or bad, they didn't know yet. But Mal couldn't wait to get whatever that was off of his boat and be on his merry way. Wash kept bringing up the human trading and the possibility of an experiment, but nobody wanted to dwell on it. They didn't want to know if this person was just another Alliance play thing.

Mal made his way down to the cargo hold, and just as predicted, there sat little River. She was seated on a crate left of the cryo tube, watching it intently. "Whatchya doin little albatross?"

"Just listening," her bare feet were swinging back and forth.

"Listening to what?" Mal asked as he hopped up next to her on the crate.

"His song," she gestured to the cryo unit. "It's such a sad song, but it's so beautiful. I don't know the words, he sings in a language long dead and unknown to the 'verse." River looked at Malcolm then, their eyes connecting and Mal was stunned silent by the intensity that was radiating out of her. "He shouldn't be here, Mal. He needs to find the Bad Wolf, his rose lost in time."

"Mei-mei," Mal started, uncertain of what to do about this development, River's attachment to that thing. "I don't think you should be hanging around down here. Just until we dump the cargo, alright?"

He looked at her expectantly until she nodded her head once to tell him she understood. She followed Mal back into the kitchen slowly, looking back only once. It was decided, River thought, he was not meant to be captive, therefore she had to set him free. She just didn't know how.


End file.
